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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26350774">Would You Even Turn To Say</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calamity_Hero_Awakens/pseuds/Calamity_Hero_Awakens'>Calamity_Hero_Awakens</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Amputee Link, Anger, Angst, Angst and Feels, Bitterness, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, I promised pain so here we are, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Past Violence, Post-Betrayal, Prosthesis, Sad Ending, Tags Are Hard, Unhappy Ending, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000, and all of it's sad, everybody is straight up not having a good time, that’s it, that’s the whole story, we’re all gonna be sad together</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:42:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,497</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26350774</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calamity_Hero_Awakens/pseuds/Calamity_Hero_Awakens</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A long pause hung between them and the hero felt his arms trembling with emotion, his stomach twisting at the words that had just left his mouth. The demon lord’s face was neutral again as he removed his hand from his hip and crossed his arms loosely over his chest.</p><p>“When was it that you realized you no longer love me?”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ghirahim/Link (Legend of Zelda)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Would You Even Turn To Say</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyOtherRideisaMasterCycleZero/gifts">MyOtherRideisaMasterCycleZero</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkAcey/gifts">DarkAcey</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The pain in his leg was worse than it had been the day before, but then again, he hadn’t done much the previous day. Zelda had begged him to leave his room, to visit his friends for once, to do <em>something</em>, but he couldn’t find it in himself to move from his bed. Not that his “friends” would miss him anyway; they had given up trying to visit him shortly after he had returned from the Surface. After having defeated Demise, a party had been thrown in his honour but he hadn’t even attended, though no one could truly blame him for it. He had been stuck in his room recovering from the many wounds he had received.</p><p>When he had finally found it in himself to leave his room, he mustered up what little courage he had left and adorned his prosthetic leg. The thing seemed archaic to him and it never wanted to work right; when he applied to much pressure, the metal knee buckled and sent him to the floor, but when he applied too little pressure, his limp was impossible to ignore.</p><p>Riding his Loftwing had been a completely new challenge. He no longer felt comfortable jumping from the platform at the edge of Skyloft and the few times he bothered to leave the island, he had to call his bird and climb onto its back before flying off into the sky. Once he had gotten the hang of it though, he began spending less and less time in Skyloft. Why spend time around people who only whispered about him or obviously stared at his faux leg, even when he wore pants to conceal it?</p><p>Sitting in the middle of a clearing on the Surface, Link stretched his legs out, awkwardly lifting his left one with his hands to position it so it looked natural before laying back in the grass. Not far away, his red Loftwing was stretched out comfortably, its wings spread and feathers fluffed as it began sunning itself.</p><p>The pain in Link’s leg seemed more intense than it had in a while and the hero found himself frequently reaching down to rub his leg to try and ease the pain, a small spark of surprise and then anger filling him when he felt the sudden end to his real leg at his mid thigh. Though he had lost it months ago, he found himself often forgetting that it was gone until he went to touch it and suddenly, it was gone.</p><p>Frustrated - though that was nothing new - the hero forced his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, trying to relax and just enjoy the sun on his skin. The clouds above him were scant and light, the only source of shade coming from the trees at the edge of the clearing though they were a good distance away. The heat on his skin felt good after spending months hiding out in his room and he silently resolved to go out more often. His friends might have abandoned him but he could still find things to do by himself.</p><p>The sound of his Loftwing moving had Link’s ears perking up as he listened to the sound of it shifting around in the grass somewhere behind him. He didn’t think much of it until he heard what almost sounded like a growl coming from the large bird.</p><p>Instantly, Link’s eyes were open and he was sitting up, twisting around to see his bird approach him and lay down behind him, wrapping itself around the hero and staring into the forest ahead of them as it continued to growl quietly. Link’s eyes strained to see into the darkness of the forest before them but he couldn’t make out anything past the thick trunks of the trees.</p><p>“What is it, Crim?” Link quietly asked, petting his bird’s neck to try and soothe it. The action went completely unnoticed as the bird’s feathers fluffed up and it let out an angry noise in warning, its eyes still focused intently on the trees looming across from them.</p><p>The hero could feel his heart beginning to pound, the promise of danger making him anxious. He hadn’t bothered to bring a weapon with him; he had already returned the Master Sword to its pedestal and with settlements being built on the Surface, few monsters were left in Faron Woods.</p><p>When the creature finally emerged from the forest, Link found himself filled with disgust. He knew he wouldn’t need a weapon because the rage flowing through him would be enough to allow him to strangle it with his bare hands.</p><p>Dressed in white, looking every bit the asshole he was, was Ghirahim. He looked exactly like Link remembered him, save for the carefully neutral expression on his face and deep, oddly shaped scar that crept from beneath the white fabric on his chest.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” Link spat, gripping his Loftwing’s feathers tightly as he pulled himself to his feet. It was difficult to force his metal leg to cooperate and he was sure it looked awkward but he couldn’t be bothered to care.</p><p>“It’s good to see you,” Ghirahim said, his voice holding the calming tone that Link remembered and the hero felt the ache in his heart more than ever.</p><p>“Get out of here,” Link growled, hands balled into fists at his sides as he put all of his weight on his right leg.</p><p>“After all this time, you can’t tell me that you didn’t care at least a little bit,” Ghirahim called him out, a hand on his hip. “I might not be the most intelligent creature in the universe but I am no idiot.”</p><p>“I don’t care about you!” Link shouted, his face twisted in pure rage. “I don’t need you! Just get out of here! Leave me alone!”</p><p>A long pause hung between them and the hero felt his arms trembling with emotion, his stomach twisting at the words that had just left his mouth. The demon lord’s face was neutral again as he removed his hand from his hip and crossed his arms loosely over his chest.</p><p>“When was it that you realized you no longer love me?” Ghirahim asked quietly, his voice carrying across the clearing to where Link stood trembling.</p><p>“You <em>are</em> an idiot,” Link said, his words distinctly lacking the venom he had intended. “I never stopped loving you. I wanted to save you. I thought that I was the hero and that I could somehow save you from Demise, from your fate, from what you had been condemned to. How could I have been so blind?”</p><p>“You know I never wanted to turn against you,” Ghirahim said, a hurt and angry look on his face as he raised his voice. “I had no choice! It was never up to me!”</p><p>“Bullshit!” Link yelled, stumbling forward awkwardly like a fawn as he pointed his finger in accusation at the demon. “You had a choice! You could have helped me! But no, you turned against me. I understand that he was your master and you might not have had a choice in the final battle, but you allowed it to escalate to that point. Not only that, but you also fought against me before the final battle. You had a choice, you just chose him.”</p><p>Link laughed in disbelief to himself as he ran his hands back through his hair, knocking his green cap to the ground. “All those promises you made to me, all those things you said, you didn’t mean a word of it. It’s amazing how many times can you say ‘I love you’ without meaning it.”</p><p>The hero chuckled quietly to himself, his anger subsiding just enough for hurt to take its place. “You really had me fooled. And still, here I am saying things I know I’ll regret.”</p><p>“Link,” Ghirahim said, sadness heavy in his voice as he took a few steps forward, “I’ll spend the rest of my eternity trying to make it up to you.”</p><p>“No,” Link firmly said, his eyes locking on the demon. The fire in his eyes burned an icy blue and Ghirahim nearly shrank under the intense look. “There isn't a way to fix this now. I don't think I can forgive you.”</p><p>“I understand that you’re hurt,” Ghirahim said, his wide eyes desperate. Desperation was an odd look on him and Link didn’t like it one bit but he knew it was the least of what he deserved. Link wasn’t stupid; he wasn’t going to just forgive the demon lord and tell him that it was alright and everything was going to work out because nothing was alright and no matter what they did, Link knew he would never be able to feel the way he had about the demon. Ghirahim knew Link to his core - he had seen him at his most vulnerable and at his happiest; he knew how to make love to Link and how to tear him down to less than nothing.</p><p>“But I will do anything for you. I would give my life for you to make you happy again.”</p><p>Link shook his head, his eyes unfocused on the grass at his feet. He couldn’t stand to see the desperation on Ghirahim’s face. It was bad enough that he had to hear it in the man’s voice.</p><p>“Link, please,” Ghirahim pleaded and suddenly, Link didn’t want to be the one having to make the decision. He wanted everything to be back to the way it had been before the demon had betrayed him. He wanted to be in a tree with his partner, Ghirahim’s arms wrapped around his waist as they stared up at the stars.</p><p>‘Are they more exquisite from your island in the sky?’ Ghirahim would ask and Link would sigh with a smile as he nodded.</p><p>But Ghirahim wasn’t his partner anymore and they wouldn’t be able to do that ever again.</p><p>“Link,” Ghirahim’s voice pleaded. “Please, look at me.”</p><p>The hero shook his head again, finding it hard to speak without his voice wavering.</p><p>“I can't even look at you right now.” Link glanced up at the trees far to Ghirahim’s right, avoiding the other man’s eyes. “You hurt me and I still trusted you. I should have known you would just hurt me again.”</p><p>Link opened his mouth to continue before closing it, considering his next words before clearing his voice and trying again.</p><p>“I'm not someone who breaks easily, but I must commend you on this,” Link said, every word making him feel more sick than the last.</p><p>“Link, I know I hurt you but-”</p><p>“Hurt me? HURT ME?” Link nearly shrieked. “Stubbing your toe hurts! Breaking your arm hurts! He cut off my fucking leg, Ghirahim!”</p><p>Ghirahim’s brown eyes were wide and he glanced down to Link’s legs which were hidden by his loose pant legs.</p><p>“I didn’t know that,” the demon timidly said and Link thought he was going to have a breakdown right then. “When I shifted into the sword, I was too weak to remember what happened after. Link, I promise you I didn’t know that happened. I would never have allowed it to escalate to that point if I had any idea-”</p><p>“What? That I’m weak? That I can’t even make it out of a battle with all my limbs intact? What did you think would happen? That I’d escape unscathed?”</p><p>Putting all of his weight on his right leg, Link tugged up his left pant leg, revealing the metal that stood in place of his leg, the hinge of his knee bending unsteadily as he shifted his weight back and forth.</p><p>“You think I wanted this?” Link asked in accusation. “Do you think I would have gone into that battle without you if I’d known this would happen? It’s not even about my leg! I didn't just give my leg for this land! I gave my entire damn soul! And for what? So that evil can return and my soul can be born again? So that I can forever be stuck in a cycle of fighting against impossible odds and praying that I come out on top? What's the point?”</p><p>The hero finally let go of his pants as he locked eyes with the demon who stood only a few feet away and his heart was pounding and clenching uncomfortably as he saw the tears gathered in Ghirahim’s glassy eyes. He had seen the demon cry only once and he knew that he wouldn’t be able to handle it again. If Ghirahim cried, Link would end up a sobbing mess, something he had resolved not to do.</p><p>“You weren't there when I needed you the most, so why now?” Link asked, feeling his heart shatter. He thought his time away from the demon had helped to make him angry, bitter, numb, but all of that seemed to come crashing down when he was actually confronted by the man.</p><p>Ghirahim sighed and Link could see his jaw clench before he quietly said.</p><p>“I never thought I'd love you this much.”</p><p>Link was left shaking his head again, pointing his finger at Ghirahim, though, when his voice trembled this time, it was because of fear.</p><p>“Don’t say that. Don’t say that you love me.”</p><p>“But I do, Link. I know that I’ve hurt you and I can never expect you to forgive me, but you can’t change the fact that I still love you. You can’t erase the way I feel, no matter how much you may wish to.”</p><p>“No,” Link choked out, his eyes tearing up. “You don’t, so stop saying it. Stop it.”</p><p>“Please don't cry,” Ghirahim said, taking a few steps forward so that he was nearly touching Link but Link took an unsteady step of his own backwards.</p><p>“I'm not going to cry, it isn't worth crying over,” he said though he was still trying to convince himself of that as well. “I just can’t believe I didn’t see it coming. I should never have trusted you.”</p><p>Link gave a short whistle and his Loftwing approached him from behind, bending down so that Link could climb onto its back. It was difficult to swing his leg over the large animal and he knew he probably looked ridiculous but he couldn’t care less. He was ready to leave before he ended up crying and making a choice he knew he would regret.</p><p>Adjusting himself on his Loftwing’s back, Link heard Ghirahim say, “There hasn't been a day that I haven’t thought of you and it's beginning to hurt.”</p><p>Link cast one last glance at the demon to see tears already streaking his face, the purple makeup running down to stain the corners of his white lips.</p><p>Voice breaking, Link managed to say, “I hope so,” before clicking to his bird. Then he was taking off into the clouds, leaving Ghirahim behind as he finally broke down.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“When you go / Would you even turn to say / “I don’t love you / Like I did / Yesterday” / Well come on, come on / When you go / Would you have the guts to say / “I don’t love you / Like I loved you / Yesterday” -‘I Don’t Love You’ by My Chemical Romance</p></blockquote></div></div>
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